Cornwall and Scilly youngsters making a difference

Some extraordinary young people will be at the centre of the BBC Radio Cornwall Make a Difference Awards 2024 ceremony this week.

The awards, in their third year, recognise and celebrate people who genuinely make a difference in their communities across the county.

There are up to four finalists in each of the eight categories, which include Great Neighbour, Bravery and a new Animals category.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Falmouth on Thursday night.

Jasmine, who is 14 and from Saltash, has been nominated in the Carers category for the way she helps to look after her mother Melissa, who has fibromyalgia and a heart condition.

As well as assisting her mother with bathing, cooking and housework, Jasmine also helps to look after her younger brother.

Jasmine admitted she was "really surprised” to be nominated, adding: “I think that it has built me in a way to be more empathetic and caring towards people because you never know what they’re going through."

In the Bravery category, Riley - who is eight and from Hayle - is nominated for the way he copes with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Football-mad Riley was selected to be a mascot during the 2024 European Championships and walked out with Jude Bellingham ahead of England's match against Belgium.

Riley’s mum, Zoe, said: "He's really strong, he's a superstar, he doesn't let anything stand in his way.

"He's still determined to do all the things that he loves and all the things his friends do at school."

Zoe said her son was delighted to be a Make a Difference Awards finalist, adding: “He was very emotional, it was an amazing thing for us. We’re really proud of him.”

The nominations in the Fundraiser category include Dexter, who is eight and from Illogan.

He has been working hard to support his younger sister, Frankie, who has the rare genetic condition tuberous sclerosis, which causes benign tumours. She also has epilepsy.

He has raised thousands of pounds through sport challenges.

Dexter said: "My aim is to get the whole world to fundraise so everyone can be cured, no matter what they’ve been diagnosed with.”

His mum, Megan, added: "I'm so proud, it's really nice and it feels special that he's been recognised for his efforts."

Orkney is nine years old and lives on the Isles of Scilly.

His nomination in the Fundraiser category follows a number of runs for The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, the Cornwall Air Ambulance and The Marine Conservation Society.

Orkney said: “I felt so surprised because I didn’t think I would be going to Cornwall to go to a finalist award.

"It feels just so amazing that people have nominated me to go there.”

This year’s Cornwall and Scilly awards were launched in February and nominations came in from hundreds of people across the county and isles.

A group of eight judges then chose the finalists in each category.

Awarded to an animal that improves the life of an individual or group of people, or a person or group of people who are working with animals to improve animal welfare.

• Holly and her fellow dogs at Cornwall Search Dogs who train to search for missing people as well as lost dogs and are on call 24 hours, 365 days a year.
• Viliam Hoferica, a Penzance vet who responds to seal rescues, volunteers with Mousehole Wild Bird Hospital and as a StreetVet, helping homeless people.
• Jana Merrett-Jones at the Hugs Foundation near Bodmin, which rescues and rehabilitates animals as well as focussing on mental health support for people.
• Nicola Congdon in Falmouth who runs a pet foodbank to support owners and reduce the need for animals to be put into rescue centres.

Awarded to an individual or group of people who have shown outstanding courage, defiance and duty in the face of perceived danger, fear or difficulty.

• Dominic Cullip from Bodmin supports MIKES Trust and local mental health charities after his friend died in a knife attack in 2023.
• Will Bird from St Austell uses art to help him recover from addiction and then used his talent to help to raise money for the Little Harbour hospice.
• Riley, aged eight from Hayle, for his cheerful outlook on life and the way he copes with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Awarded to someone who improves the life of an individual or group of people through their helpfulness, compassion and support.

• Jasmine, aged 14, a young carer in Saltash supports her mum with personal care and everyday tasks, including looking after her younger brother.
• Nikki Drewett in Redruth offered her home as a ‘Shared Lives’ carer to support Jenny who then needed support through end of life care for terminal cancer.
• Susan Kemp is a former paramedic with a teenage daughter with diabetes and a toddler with Avoidance Restricted Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and autism.
• SJ Poultney provides a loving and nurturing family home for five children, including three cared for under special guardianship arrangements.

Awarded to a group of people who have helped to genuinely change the lives of others within their community.

• Parky Blinders Boxing Project in Newquay for their pioneering and inclusive approach to gym exercise for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
• Simon Nicholls set up The Scilly Men’s Shed, a mental health support group on the Isles of Scilly to tackle isolation, depression and loneliness.
• Truro Homeless Action Group, a group of 30 volunteer cooks who run a daily pop-up breakfast service in a Truro church, 365 days of the year.
• Jay’s Aim, a charity raising awareness of cardiac arrest, paying for community defibrillators and taking training into schools in memory of a young dad.

Awarded to an individual or group of people who have gone the extra mile to raise funds for a good cause.

• Dexter, aged nine, fundraises for charities that support his younger sister and other children facing health challenges.
• Orkney, aged nine, walked barefoot around St Mary’s and then took on a five islands run for Cornwall Air Ambulance and conservation charities.
• Joby Johnson from Newquay completes endurance challenges for Motor Neurone Disease (MND Association) in memory of his late dad.
• Ruth Hitchcock is swimming in the sea every day for a year to raise awareness of Neuroendocrine cancer after her husband’s diagnosis with the condition.

Awarded to an individual who helps to make the neighbourhood a better place in which to live or work, either on a regular basis or through a single act of kindness.

• Hazel House in Foxhole for her commitment to supporting other people where she lives, despite her cancer diagnosis and her husband’s poor health.
• Toni Gunn in Porthleven, a beauty therapist turned supportive listener for neighbours and clients facing difficult times.
• Jane Creeden in Stithians for supporting her neighbour Joyce, enabling her to stay in her own home following the death of her husband.

Awarded to an individual or group of people who make where they live a better place by caring for the environment and nature.

• Katie Maggs is an inspirational marine conservationist from Penzance with a passion to inspire people to discover coastal wildlife and rockpool habitats.
• Ruth Major aka ‘Rubbish Ruth’ from Redruth has taken her simple but determined litter-picking message from Cornwall right across the UK.
• Julian Hutchison from Bude is a dedicated litter-picker who trawls around the town and along the canal to remove every bit of rubbish he can.
• Pat Smith aka ‘Action Nan’ from Austell campaigns to reduce single-use plastic and leads groups of volunteers removing litter from beaches.

Awarded to an individual who makes a notable difference to their community by giving their time voluntarily to help others.

• Sheila Gill, a retired St Austell teacher, who reads in schools, supports theatre groups and helps to run a choir all while waiting for a knee replacement.
• Tiffany Honeychurch is a mum of three and rugby coach supporting grassroots rugby at Penryn RFC where she’s now pioneering the new girls' teams.
• Cym Downing in Launceston set up Cornwall’s first memory café, inspired 40 more groups, and helps people get to GP and hospital appointments.
• Ryan Davey, a Newlyn fisherman immersed in community life, driving the local school minibus, mending children’s bikes and running raft building sessions.

The finalists will find if they have won at a special ceremony at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth on Thursday night.

Listen to all the finalists telling their stories here.

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